Random Word Generator OneShots
by jekkah
Summary: Just some random one-shots based on three words from a Random Word Generator to get my writing moving. All will be Hotch/JJ.
1. Pattern, Burning, Headline

_Disclaimer: I own nothing, but the DVDs. _

_Author's Note: Having some trouble with my muses lately so I'm hoping that this jump starts them a bit, for better or worse. I grabbed three random words from a word generator and forced myself to come up with a random one-shot of at least 1,000 words. Words are in the title of the chapter. Probably going to do a couple of these (unrelated) whenever I'm stuck on writing anything else. Hope you enjoy!_

**Pattern, Burning, Headline**

Hotch got out of his car and immediately smelled smoke. He glanced around the quiet neighborhood of colonial houses only to see a wisp of smoke coming from his own backyard. Hotch raced to the front door, only for it to be flung open by his seven-year-old son moments before reaching the knob.

"Daddy, she's gone crazy!" Jack exclaimed, half-amused.

"Are you okay? Where's the fire?" Hotch scanned him for any visible injuries.

Jack rolled his eyes. "I'm fine. She's burning stuff in the back."

"Okay. Stay here and don't go into the backyard."

Jack sighed, but flopped himself down on the couch, turning on the television. Hotch made his way through the kitchen, eyes sharply scanning, to the backyard. He found a small fire going in the fire pit and could see just a sliver of pink floral sheets in the center.

"Everything okay, sweetheart?" Hotch asked, cautiously approaching the fire.

"No!" JJ responded, furiously. "How many time have I told you that I want those stupid sheets out of this house? I hate that stupid floral pattern!"

"But your mother-"

JJ rounded on him. "I don't care that my mother bought those sheets as a wedding present! They're ugly and uncomfortable and... Oh, my God, what am I doing?"

"Jayje-"

"No! I am freaking out of a set of bedsheets, that my mother gave me because she thought I could use a feminine touch living in a house full of boys." JJ covered her face with her hands. "I scared Jack. I terrified you. I'm stressing myself out. What is wrong with me?"

Hotch captured her hands with his own, pulling them to his lips for a quick kiss. "There is nothing wrong with you. You didn't terrify me and Jack thinks this whole thing is funny. He's inside watching television. This is just-"

"I swear if you say this is my hormones talking I will toss you into the fire with the sheets."

"I can see the headline now: 'Pregnant Woman Tosses Husband in Fire Over Pink Sheets.'"

JJ chuckled despite her best effort. "I'm so tired of these hormones. I'm tired of being fat. I'm tired of being bloated. I'm tired of being unattractive. I'm-"

Hotch cut her off with a searing kiss. "You have never been more beautiful than you are right now. Don't give me that look. It's true. And if our oldest son wasn't in the living room right now, I would ravish you all over this just to prove that to you."

JJ smiled with a blush.

"Speaking of our sons," Hotch continued, "where's Henry?"

"Will took him for the afternoon. He'll be home by dinner. Speaking of which, what are you doing home so early?"

Hotch shrugged almost sheepishly. "I missed my wife. The BAU just isn't the same when you're not there. I know you wanted some time off before the baby comes, but this month is killing me."

"And just whose fault is my current predicament?" she asked him, playfully, putting her arms around his neck. She stroked the hair on the back of his neck with her thumbs just to feel him shiver.

"If I recall correctly and I'm pretty sure I do," Hotch placed his hands on either side of her swollen stomach, feeling the baby kick, "you were the one prancing around my hotel room in nothing but my white dress shirt."

"I do not prance. And it's not my fault we were away on a case during our one year anniversary. It's also not my fault that you look incredibly hot going after that detective, muscles straining, eyes all intense."

"Mhm." Hotch leaned down and languidly kissed her. "You like it when I lose my temper on the deserving, don't you? If I recall, that's what caused you to jump me in the first place."

"The stories you tell!" JJ hit him on the shoulder before looking at him sideways. "You certainly weren't complaining that night. You jumped me right back."

"Best decision I ever made. Do you know how long I had been in love with you before that night?"

"I love you."

"I love you." Hotch leaned down and took her mouth once again, suckling her lips until they were trembling. "What do you say you and I-"

"Daddy!" Jack shouted, sticking his head out the backdoor. "Henry's home and we're hungry!"

"Go and get these boys some dinner?" JJ finished for him, a gleam in her eye.

"Yeah," he sighed.

"It's okay, sweetheart," JJ reassured him, taking his hand to lead him back into the house. "We can be alone in just a mere eighteen years."

"Ha," Hotch huffed. "What makes you think I plan stop impregnating you at one?"

"Guess you better stock up on white dress shirts."

"Already have one in your go bag."

JJ squeezed his hand as they entered the kitchen, noting Jack had disappeared into the house. "My husband's so smart. No wonder I married him."

"And here, I thought it was my ability to tear a grown man verbally into two." His head was in the freezer pulling out chicken.

"And look hot while doing it."

"Hi, Hotch," Henry said, walking into the kitchen with Jack. He gave Hotch a big hug. "Hi, Mama."

"Did you have fun with your dad?" Hotch asked him.

"Yep. We went to the park. When Sarah's born, can Jackie and I take her to the park?"

Jack looked up from the table, excitedly. "Can we?"

"When she's a little older and as long as one of us goes with you," JJ told them.

"Hey, Mama?" Henry asked. He was hanging off of Hotch's leg as Hotch puttered around the kitchen. "Do you know where the pink sheet is? I was using that for a tent."

JJ cringed. "I, uh, I'll get you another sheet to use, okay? One that looks more like a tent."

"Okay," he sighed.

She looked at Hotch who was silently in hysterics. "Not a word unless you want that headline to come true."

END


	2. Convert, Crown, Heart

_Disclaimer: I own nothing, but the DVDs. I don't own the Redskins or the Cowboys, either._

_Author's Note: My apologies to any Redskins' fans for anything I may have gotten incorrect. I tried to keep most of it vague. I'd apologize to any Cowboys' fans, but hey, you're the ones rooting for the Cowboys. LOL. One final note: GO STEELERS!_

**Convert, Crown, Heart**

"Hotch!" JJ exclaimed as soon as he answered his phone.

Hotch was instantly alarmed. It was the Sunday evening of a peaceful weekend. "JJ, is everything okay?"

"No. Is your cable on?"

Hotch froze. "Is my- what?"

"Is your cable working?" she asked, exasperatedly. "The 'Skins-Cowboy games is about to begin and my cable's still not working from this afternoon's storms. Can I borrow your television? Please?"

"Um, sure, I guess."

"Oh, thank you! Thank you! Henry and I will be over there in ten minutes."

Hotch stared at the phone after he placed it on the table, still bewildered by the call. He hadn't moved from his position by the time Jack came into the living room several minutes later. Jack looked from his father to the phone and back again, confused.

"Are you okay, Daddy?" Jack asked Hotch.

Hotch shook his head to clear it. "Ah, yeah. Miss JJ's coming over to watch the football game. She's bringing Henry. Why don't you go to your room and grab some toys that you can play with Henry?"

"Okay, Daddy."

"Remember, he's still little so get toys that Henry can play," Hotch called after him as Jack ran to his room. He glanced around the room, but found nothing out of place for him to clean to take away his nervous energy. He really hadn't had anyone from the team over to his apartment for longer than ten minutes at a time.

Hotch was rooting around in his cupboard looking for snacks when the doorbell rang. He took a deep breath before opening the door. JJ stood before him, wearing a burgundy football jersey with the number "21" on it. She was holding Henry on her hip and a bag on her shoulder. Henry was wearing a matching jersey. He smiled widely when he saw Hotch.

"Thank you so much for doing this!" JJ gushed entering the apartment. "I cannot believe my cable is out on tonight of all nights! I mean, it's the Cowboys!"

"And I'm guessing that means something?" Hotch asked her.

JJ paused from putting Henry down on the floor in the living room. She chuckled as she turned to him and patted his chest. "Oh, Hotch. I will convert you to a 'Skins fan by the end of this game, you just wait and see."

"Can I get you something to drink?" Hotch offered.

"I'll take anything you got." JJ hugged Jack when he entered the room, wearing a crown on his head from a fast food restaurant. She settled the two boys in while Hotch grabbed the all something to drink and snack on. They settled on the couch while the boys played with Jack's cars.

"So, can I ask why you called me instead of anyone else from the team?" Hotch asked after a few minutes of silence.

JJ shifted, uncomfortably. "What do you mean? You're the first one I thought of. You don't mind, do you?"

"No!" Hotch said a bit too forcefully. "I'm just- It's not like I'm known for being the fun one on the team. I'm just curious. There's no way I'm the first."

JJ blushed. "You actually were the only call I made, but you're right in that I did take everyone else into consideration. But, well, okay, here's the thing: Garcia spends the whole time talking about the uniforms and the players' butts. Emily spends half the game lamenting that women in sports aren't as revered. Morgan thinks he knows everything about the game. Reid treats it like a science experiment and Rossi, well, is Rossi."

Hotch laughed aloud and JJ reveled in the rare sound. "Well, whatever the reason, I am glad you're here."

Hotch leaned back into the couch, settling in while JJ moved to the edge of the couch as the game started. He watched JJ as much as he watched the game. Hotch couldn't remember a time when she was more animated than watching this game. She jumped between cheering for the Redskins and berating their playing skills to booing the Cowboys at the top of her lungs. Hotch was completely mesmerized by her.

By the end of the first quarter, the Redskins were up 7-3. Hotch took both boys and laid them in Jack's bed. It took three stories before they were drifting off to sleep. Hotch hurried back into the living in the middle of the second quarter. JJ had her hands in her hair, pulling tight. He glanced at the score to see it had switched to 10-7, Cowboys. The fury in JJ's eyes kept him off the couch and in the chair.

"Hell, yeah, that's right!" JJ shouted as the half came to an end with a touchdown by the 'Skins. JJ looked over at Hotch and found him smiling at her. She felt herself flush all over. "What?"

Hotch pulled at his collar. "It's really good to see you enjoying the game."

"I'm scaring you, aren't I?"

"No-o."

JJ folded her arms. "Uh-huh. That's why you're all the way over there."

"I just wanted to give you some space. Your heart is really into this game." After a few moments under JJ's scrutinizing eye, he moved to sit next to her.

"See, I don't bite... much," JJ teased, placing her hand on his knee. Hotch felt himself tense as the warmth of her hand sunk into his skin. He shivered slightly when she removed her hand, but JJ didn't seem to notice. They made small talk about the boys and the team until the game came back on. JJ's laser focus snapped to the television once again.

JJ sat shoulder to should with Hotch as the third quarter began. He found himself unable to resist getting caught up in the game as her energy transferred to him. By the end of the third quarter with the game at 17-14, Cowboys, Hotch was screaming almost as loud as JJ. They were both bouncing on the couch in anticipation of the fourth quarter.

The fourth quarter started with a field goal by the Redskins to bring the game tied at 17. It remained that way throughout the quarter. JJ was gripping Hotch's arm tightly as clock wound down. The Redskins' quarterback threw up the ball with two seconds to go, landing gracefully into the arms of the wide receiver who tripped his way into the end zone, winning the game. JJ and Hotch both jumped from the couch simultaneously. She leapt into his arms, hugging him tightly.

Hotch leaned down and kissed her, spontaneously, getting caught up in the exuberance of the moment and the feel of her curves against his body. He tried to jerk away when he realized what he had done, but was stopped by JJ's hands on the back of his neck.

"I'm sorry," Hotch whispered.

"For what?" JJ asked, her voice just as low.

"For kissing you."

"You shouldn't." JJ smiled as he looked at her questioningly. "My cable isn't out."

Hotch felt a smile creep slowly across his face as the meaning behind her statement sank in.

"You are a devious woman," Hotch told her. "I like that about you."

JJ drew his face down for another sensual kiss. "Why don't you sit down on the couch and I'll show you just how devious I can be?"

END


	3. Area, Acoustic, Repeat

_Disclaimer: I own nothing, but the DVDs. I don't own the Beatles or their songs either._

_Author's Note: My sincerest apologies as I forgot my thank yous in the last chapter so this will be for both chapters 1 and 2. Very special thanks to **Andi**, **Raniatlw**, **breverson**, **sarweber22**, **deeda**, **misalason**, **ChocoboMuffins**, **Melissa Larkin**, **canny-bairn**, **Flames101**, and **angry penguin** for your reviews. And thanks to everyone who has alerted and favorited this story._

_Special Note: Another note: **The Second Annual Profiler's Choice Awards **have begun (voting runs September 1st through October 15th)! Check out the **Chit Chat on Author's Corner** forum for details. **Nominations are almost over!** Please, please, please take the time to vote for our favorite stories. Everyone is encouraged to participate. These mods work incredibly hard at this so let's show them some love!_

**Area, Acoustic, Repeat**

JJ opened the front door of her house, exhausted after a long day of filling out forms and fighting redundant bureaucracy. The only thing she wanted to do was take a long, hot bubble bath and wash the filth of the day away. She paused as she dropped her bags by the door, hearing the chords of an acoustic guitar. A voice, low and sweet, floated through the air.

"Blackbird singing in the dead of night..."

Curious, she pattered down the hallway to the living room. Taking in the sight, she smiled widely and leaned against the doorway. Her six-year-old son, Henry, sat in the middle of the living room floor, his golden blond hair, swaying as he moved to the music. Next to him, sat her three-year-old daughter, Sophie. She had the same blond hair and blue eyes as her big brother. Sophie had been a last ditch effort to save her relationship with Will, but they were separated before JJ even hit her second trimester. Will moved back to New Orleans, though he remained a constant, if distant, influence in both kids' lives.

"... take these sunken eyes and learn to see."

Sophie was leaning into Henry, giggling, as she tried to escape the tickling hands of her nine-year-old brother, Jack. JJ could picture his brown eyes laughing even as his back was to her. He got no greater joy in life that making his younger siblings smile, no matter what he had to do to get them to laugh. He had taken to having siblings like a duck to water.

"... you were only waiting for this moment to arise."

A soft gasp drew JJ from the three children to an area off to the side of the couch. Her sixteen-month-old daughter, Grace, stood mesmerized by the music. Her soft brown curls were haphazardly thrown into pigtails, a sure sign that Sophie had held helped to fix Gracie's hair. Grace took a few steps forward as if drawn by some unforeseeable force towards the guitar player.

"... take these broken wings and learn to fly."

JJ's eyes tracked the path that Grace was on until her eyes landed the guitar player, his dark eyes lighting up when their eyes met. He never stumbled over the song even as he drunk her in. JJ felt heat rise to her cheeks as her husband of nearly four years raked his eyes hotly over her body. She was instantly transported back to the first time he had given her that look. She was nearly seven months pregnant with Sophie, feeling bloated and exhausted. Hotch had come over with Jack and Chinese food, knowing how overwhelmed JJ was with Will having just moved to New Orleans. He had cleaned up the kitchen, given the boys a bath, and put them into bed to give her some time to herself only to find her crying in her bedroom.

"You were only waiting for this moment to arise."

Hotch wordlessly cradled her face his hands. He wiped away her tears with his thumbs before placing a kiss over each of her eyebrows, on each cheek, before finally placing on gently on her lips. She felt him start to pull away and put her hands firmly behind his neck to hold him. She teased his lips with her tongue until she heard him groan in frustration. She smiled in amusement, allowing him to slip his own tongue into mouth, staking it as his own. JJ could feel her skin practically vibrating by the time he broke off the kiss for air. Hotch took a step back causing JJ to almost tear up in disappointment until he roamed his eyes up and down her, making her feel more wanted than she ever had in her life. That night was the first night they made love.

"You were only waiting for this moment to arise."

JJ bit her bottom lip in an effort to stop the memories from coming as Hotch finished the song. His guitar playing was one of the favorite things about him. It was one that he kept exclusively for their family. She imagined that if she even attempted to tell anyone who knew them about how beautifully Hotch could sing or play, they would laugh themselves into a stupor. JJ was happy, however, to keep it just between the two of them and their kids.

"Repeat, Daddy!" Sophie demanded. "Repeat!"

Hotch chuckled. "Repeat" was Sophie's new favorite word. Hotch nodded towards to the doorway. "Look who's home."

The heads of all four children turned to the doorway where JJ was still leaning.

"Mommy's home!" Henry and Sophie shouted, rushing to her. They both hugged her tightly as she leaned down and kissed the tops of each of their heads.

Jack waited politely for his younger siblings to finish before moving in to give JJ a kiss on the cheek. "Hi, Mom. How was your day?"

"Great now that I got my Jack kiss," she replied. He beamed proudly before bending down to pick Grace up and hand her to JJ. JJ kissed her cheek. "Hi, baby."

"Mama, Da-Da sing," Grace told her, solemnly. "Bird."

"They made me do it," Hotch muttered, maneuvering through the crowd of children to kiss his wife.

JJ subtly squeezed his behind when he was close just to see him blush. "I'm sure they didn't have to try very hard."

Hotch shrugged as he took Grace back. "Do you want to go take a nice bath while I make dinner? You've had a long day and you're growing another baby Hotchner. I'm sure you could use the break."

JJ absently place a hand on her abdomen as she looked down at her eager-faced children. She shook her head with a smile. "I'd rather listen to you play another song and order some pizza."

Hotch grinned broadly. "Any special requests?"

"'In My Life,'" she told him. "It's-"

"-your favorite," Hotch finished. He gave her another quick kiss. "I know."

JJ let Henry and Sophie lead her into the living room. She sat on the floor, against the couch. Henry sat on one side of her. Jack sat on the other, pulling Sophie onto his lap. Grace toddled over to JJ, who gathered her in her arms. They all sat with rapt attention waiting for Hotch to begin.

"There are places I remember..."

JJ glanced around the room at her family, feeling as though she was the luckiest person in the entire world.

END


	4. Eighth, Conviction, Sector

_Disclaimer: I own nothing, but the DVDs. I don't own "Cinderella," "Sleeping Beauty," or "Peter Pan" either._

_Author's Note: Special thanks to **Jotchprossi18**, **Flames101**, **Andi**, and **misalason** for the reviews!_

**Eighth, Conviction, Sector**

The first time he asked her, he was near delirious and no idea what he was talking about. They had been up for nearly thirty-six hours, finishing up a case and then having to pull together paperwork for court on another case. They were tearing apart his office looking for the last crucial piece before they could go home and crash for two days.

JJ stood from the cabinet suddenly, clutching the paper in her hand. "Found it!"

"I love you. Marry me," Hotch told her, talking to the paper. He paused when he realized she was staring at him. "What?"

"Hotch, do me a favor? Take a cab home," JJ ordered with a smirk.

"Okay," he agreed, bewildered. It wasn't until he was laying in bed that it occurred to him what he had said. He smiled as his dreams overtook him as he drifted off to sleep: she had said no to his proposal.

The second time he asked her, they were working undercover. The team had followed an unsub into a crowded promenade. The unsub was trying desperately to sneak through the crowd, undetected. Hotch and JJ were following him subtly under the guise of being a couple on a leisurely stroll. Hotch slipped his hand into JJ's, somewhat surprised by how natural he it felt to intertwine his fingers with hers. He could see from the corner of his eye that the unsub was getting antsy with all of the people around. Hotch knew he had to stop the people milling about and allow a distraction to get Morgan into place.

Hotch dropped to his knee suddenly, pulling a startled JJ in front of him. He forced his voice to be loud and full of conviction, causing the entire area to pause to look at them. "Jennifer Ann Jareau, I have loved you since the moment I laid eyes on you. I want to spend the rest of my days standing by your side. Please tell me you'll make me the happiest man on earth. Will you marry me?"

JJ bit her bottom lip. She searched his face as she tried to remain in character. Finally, she nodded. Hotch stood and pulled her into his arms, whispering in her ear, "Sorry, it was the only thing I could think of at the time."

"No problem," JJ replied, watching Morgan quietly cuff the unsub without fuss. She held him just a bit longer before letting him go. "I think we got him."

The third time her proposed, he didn't realize he was proposing to JJ at all. He had been pulled into meeting after meeting from the moment he had gotten in that morning to justify their use of resources on their last case. He finally emerged around 8:30PM to find that his whole team was waiting for him in the conference room. There was a meal of homemade pasta, bread, and salad on the table. Having not eaten for the previous twenty-four hours, Hotch attacked the food with vigor, drawing amused glances from the team. He moaned in delight when he took his first bite.

"I am going to marry whomever made this food," Hotch said, causing the team to titter. "It's delicious."

"Well, JJ," Prentiss told her as JJ's face took on the color of the spaghetti sauce, "looks like catching the bouquet at your cousin's wedding was fate after all."

"Shut up," JJ retorted, but Hotch caught a look of happiness in her eyes and wondered about that. He pushed it to the back of his mind, however, when Rossi began to pester him about the day's meetings.

Hotch barely remembered the fourth time he asked her. He remembered everyone meeting at the bar to celebrate Reid's birthday. He remembered the first three rounds of drinks: whiskey for Rossi, appletinis for Garcia and Kevin, and beer for the rest of them. He didn't remember who instigated the challenge, he suspected it was either Rossi or Garcia, but he did remember the sweet burn of the first shot of tequila down his throat. He remembered how the next two went down much smoother. After that, his memories came in flashes: Morgan falling off his seat after laughing at one of Prentiss' jokes; Reid explaining a sector in geometry to some pretty young thing; Rossi spilling a drink. His most vivid memory, though, centered on JJ. He pulled her close on the dance floor, not sure how he got there. He felt her body curve into his; inhaled her sweet vanilla scent. He remembered leaning down to whisper into her, his lips just brushing the tip of her ear.

"JJ, will you dance with me at our wedding?"

The next thing he remembered was waking up with an intense headache in the middle of Rossi's living room.

The fifth time she was asked, Hotch technically didn't do the asking. He had invited JJ and Henry over for an afternoon and evening of pizza and movies. The four of them sat on the couch: Hotch on one, JJ on the other, with Jack sandwiched in between. Henry moved from JJ to Jack to Hotch and back again. Hotch felt warmth spread throughout his body each time he heard JJ's giggle. When her hand grazed his while passing him a slice of pizza, he thought his entire insides would burn up.

"Daddy?" Jack asked at the end of "Cinderella," his sweet, brown eyes looking up at Hotch. JJ was on a classic cartoon movie kick for the boys. "Can we marry JJ and Henry and have movie night every weekend?"

"Marry Mama! Marry Mama!" Henry chanted.

Hotch stared at Jack, his tongue feeling heavy, unsure of how to respond.

"Okay, guys," JJ interjected. "'Sleeping Beauty' or 'Peter Pan?'"

"'Peter Pan!'" they both shouted. Hotch shot her a grateful look as she changed the DVD.

The sixth proposal was done on a dare. JJ had come storming into the BAU early one morning. She barked at everyone who dared to cross her path. She even had one new agent nearly in tears. The rest of the team spent the day trying to ferret out what caused her bad mood. Hotch advised them to simply stay of her way.

When she came in a second day still in a bad mood and mumbling something about her ex, the team resolved to turn her attitude around. Garcia brought her favorite coffee directly to her desk. Prentiss followed with her favorite danish. Reid spent the day showing her magic tricks. Rossi and Morgan teamed up and took her to lunch. She was, however, still not back to her normally bubbling self, though she was no longer outwardly angry to those around her, until near the end of the day when she had enough of the hovering and snapped at Prentiss, Garcia, and Reid.

"I told you guys to leave her alone," Hotch told Morgan and Rossi as the three stood on the walkway, watching JJ pack up for the day. "None of this is going to help."

"And you think you know what's going to help?" Rossi challenged.

Morgan huffed at the affirmation in Hotch's eyes. "Why don't you go show us then?"

Hotch shrugged, leaning against the railing. "Hey, JJ? Wanna run away and get married?"

The entire office went silent, their eyes on JJ's back. She pivoted around to look at Hotch, a scowl on her face. They stared at each for a few moments; all breathing in the room ceased. At last, JJ broke out into a huge shriek of laughter.

She shook her head when she pulled herself together. "Have a good night, everyone."

His seventh proposal was supposed to be for his ears only. He stood in front of the mirror, visibly nervous to even himself. He stuttered trying to get the words, growing frustrated when he was unable. He heaved a huge sigh. He rubbed his hands over his face and again faced the mirror.

"Come on, Hotchner," he told himself. "The only thing you need to know is that you love her. You love her son. Your son adores her. Nothing else matters. Just look her in the eye and say, 'JJ, will you marry me?'"

He exhaled a breath in relief, which caused him to miss the small gasp that escaped JJ's mouth as she overheard Hotch's proposal. She had come to his room in search of him as he was taking forever to get downstairs where Jack and Henry were waiting to go to the park. JJ felt tingles starting from her toes and work her way through her entire body. She had resisted marriage in the past, but she knew this time, when he asked, she would most definitely say yes.

The eighth and final time that Hotch asked JJ to marry him, they were in front of the entire BAU team, a dozen LEOs, half a dozen paramedics, and several firefighter crews, and ten or so reporters. They surrounded an unsub in an old building. The team and the LEOs charged into the building only to discover the unsub had started a fire. The unsub perished when paint cans left in the building exploded, harming several LEOs. Morgan received a cut on his back and Prentiss hurt her shoulder. In the chaos of the fire, Hotch lost sight of JJ. She emerged from the building leading a young police officer out.

"JJ!" Hotch screamed as soon as he saw her. He enveloped her in his arms, kissing her until she couldn't breath.

"Hotch, what are you doing?" she asked when he broke the kiss. "We're in front of everyone."

"I don't care," he told her. Hotch fell to one knee. "JJ, I love you. I can't imagine spending another day without you as my wife. I want to be the one who wakes up next to you every morning and the one who goes to sleep with you every night. I want to build a family with you and Jack and Henry. I love you. Will you marry me?"

JJ bit her bottom lip to stop her tears. "Did you know that this is the eighth time you've proposed to me? Of course, I'll marry you. I love you, too."

END


	5. Verse, Gather, Pardon

_Disclaimer: I own nothing, but the DVDs. I don't own "Annabel Lee" by Edgar Allen Poe either._

_Author's Note: Special thanks to **Flames101**, **ChocoboMuffins**, **Jotchprossi18**, **canny-bairn**, and **deeda** (welcome back!) for the reviews!_

**Verse, Gather, Pardon**

"...To shut her up in sepulchre, In this kingdom by the sea."

"Uh, Spence," JJ said, shutting him up. She nodded to Jack and Henry who were looking at him with bewilderment. "I think that's enough."

"But that's only the third verse," Reid whined. "There's two more."

JJ patted him gently on the cheek. "I know, but they're three and almost six. Poe is a little beyond them right now."

Reid sighed. "So, pumpkins?"

"Yeah!" Jack and Henry both shouted. The four of them were standing in the middle of a pumpkin patch where they had been tasked by Garcia to pick out pumpkins to decorate the BAU with for Halloween.

"Where's Hotch?" Reid asked as he was dragged along by the two boys.

JJ pursed her lips. "He got called into a meeting. He doesn't think he'll be gone longer than a few hours."

"So, how come you have Jack?"

"Um," JJ hesitated. She glanced down to see the boys examining a large pumpkin on the ground, ignoring the discussion between the two adults. "Jessica's out of town this weekend so called and asked if I would take Jack while he went into the office."

"It's just odd that he didn't call Rossi, isn't it? I mean, they're pretty close. Jack calls him 'Uncle Dave' and Rossi coached Jack's soccer team."

"Uncle Dave?" Henry repeated, looking up.

JJ pointed to a pumpkin a few feet away. "What do you guys think about that one?" She waited until the boys were gone before turning to Reid. "What's with the twenty questions?"

Reid shrugged. "I don't know. Just making conversation, I guess."

She sighed. "When I was... away from the BAU, Hotch and I would get together every few weeks or so just to check in. We nearly always had the boys so they became pretty close. It's not the first time he's asked me to baby-sit and it won't be the last."

"JJ!" Jack called out. "Can we get this one?"

JJ wondered over to them. "Sure. Help me put it in the wagon."

"How many are we supposed to get?" Jack asked her, when they put the pumpkin into the wagon.

"Aunt Penelope wants at least ten so we better start moving." JJ looked at Reid, who was looking at her in confusion. She assumed it was over calling Garcia "Aunt Penelope" to Jack, but Reid wisely said nothing.

"Ooh, Henry! Look at that one!"

Reid bent over and brushed the dirt of a small pumpkin. He added it to the wagon. "How are things with you and Will?"

"Good. Henry stays with me most of the time, but Will takes him whenever we're out of town, every other weekend, and every Wednesday. Henry seems to be adjusting well." JJ smiled at her son, who was excitedly pulling on Jack's sleeve and pointing to something in the distance.

"He seems happy."

JJ patted Reid's arm. "He could use some more time with his godfather."

"I know. I just..." Reid's voice trailed off and he looked down at his feet.

"Have been really mad at his mom," JJ finished, softly. "I get it. It's one of the reasons I asked you to come with us today. That and I know how much you love Halloween."

Reid grinned, sheepishly. "I'll set something up with just Henry and I soon. Maybe we can go to the museum."

"JJ!" Jack called out, again. He and Henry came running towards her. "Henry wants to get his face painted. Can we?"

"Don't you want to finish picking pumpkins first?" she asked him.

Jack looked at the pumpkins, then the face painter, before turning back to JJ. She could almost see the wheels turning in his head. "I think me and Henry would work faster if we had our faces painted."

"Okay," JJ laughed.

Jack grabbed Reid's hand, dragging him down the row of pumpkins. "Come on, Uncle Spencer! You have to get your face painted, too!"

Reid looked back at JJ in confusion and fear. She simply laughed at him with a wave. She gathered Henry up, towing the wagon along. They caught up with Jack and Reid in line to get their faces painted. Jack got his face painted as a lion. Henry got his painted as a cat. Reid got his painted as a dog. He proceeded to chase both boys back to the pumpkin patch.

"He called me 'Uncle Spencer,'" Reid beamed as they ate ice cream cones, the boys sitting a few feet away from them, watching the people walk by.

"Well, Henry calls you 'Uncle Spencer' so I'm sure it was only a matter of time before Jack started to call you that," JJ explained.

"Still..." Reid continued, "it's something."

JJ ran her hand over his back. "Feels good to be 'Uncle Spencer,' doesn't it?"

"It really does."

"Okay, guys, let's go gather the rest of these pumpkins," JJ told them. "It's getting late and we're going to meet Hotch for pizza."

Jack and Henry jumped up from the ground with enthusiasm. They raced each other back to the pumpkin patch with a new determination to finish the job. Reid got caught up in their excitement and quickly followed them down the rows of pumpkin. JJ stood at the edge of the patch with the wagon, enjoying the sight of Reid, Jack, and Henry running back and forth, comparing the pumpkins to find the best ones.

"Pardon me?" A deep voice surrounded JJ, coming up from behind her. "Have you seen my family?"

JJ instinctively took a step backward. She went to turn, but found herself stopped by a pair of strong arms enveloping her waist. She sighed, happily, as he put his chin on her shoulder and rocked her gently.

"You know, Reid is here," JJ told him, "and he's been asking all kinds of questions, personal questions, about just how close we really are."

"And what did you tell him?" Hotch whispered, the lips just touching the outside of her ear, causing her to shiver.

JJ pulled him closer. "I may have avoided the question a bit."

"We're going to have to tell people soon. I mean, we're moving in together next month." Hotch rubbed his cheek against hers. "Jack asked the other night if he could call you 'Mom.'"

She gasped, pulling away from him to turn in his arms. "What did you tell him?"

Hotch's hands were on her waist, running his thumbs in circles. "I told him that I would talk to you about it. I told him that you were fine being 'JJ,' that it didn't matter what he called you, you would love him just the same."

"What did he say?"

"He said that he knew you loved him no matter what. He wants to call you 'Mom' because he loves you."

JJ pressed her lips to his, murmuring, "I love you."

"I love you."

"Jack can call me 'Mom' or 'JJ' or 'Godzilla.' I don't care as long we're together," JJ told him. She stood on her toes to kiss him again.

"Daddy!" Jack shouted, rushing up to them.

"Hotch!" Henry cried out. He and Jack flung themselves around Hotch's legs. Hotch leaned down to kiss them hello.

Reid followed with a smirk. "Hey, Hotch."

JJ grasped Hotch's hand. "So, Spence, we have something to tell you. We've only told Rossi and Garcia so far."

"Actually," Reid interrupted, "I have something to tell you. You guys just won me twenty bucks." He chuckled at Hotch and JJ's startled expressions. "Morgan and Prentiss bet me that I couldn't get you guys to come clean about your relationship first."

"You knew?" JJ asked, incredulously. "I thought we hid it so well in the office."

"Oh, you did," Reid assured her. "You just forgot one little detail."

Hotch shifted, uncomfortably. "Which is?"

"Almost three-year-olds have big mouths, especially at birthday parties for their 'new brother.'"

Hotch and JJ looked at each before looking down at at Henry. He grinned up at them, unaware that he was the topic of conversation. Hotch tapped Henry's nose lovingly.

"Well, then," JJ said, with a shrug, "I guess pizza's on you."

END


	6. Worrying, Hypocrisy, Monthly

_Disclaimer: I own nothing, but the DVDs. I don't own "Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star" either._

_Author's Note: Special thanks to **kdzl**, **deeda**, **TinaraXx**, and **Flames101** for your reviews! And thanks to everyone who's reading and alerting these._

_Note from the Mods on CCOAC: "The FINAL voting process is well underway for the Second Annual Profiler's Choice Criminal Minds Awards hosted by Chit Chat on Author's Corner forum. Links can be found on our profiler pages. Please come on over and take a look at this year's incredibly talented nominees and their stories. Two random voters (that vote in ten categories or more) will be selected to receive gift cards from Amazon. com at the completion of this year's awards."_

**Worrying, Hypocrisy, Monthly**

"Little star. What you are."

From her position in the bathroom, perched on the edge of the bathtub, JJ let out a nervous laugh as she listened to her son sing through the nearly closed door. His young voice, while making her swell with pride, did little to stop the pit of worrying fire settled deep within her gut. Her leg bounced nervously despite her best effort to control it as she held the tiny white stick in her hand. How had her life come down to this?

She was only suppose to be helping a friend. She was getting into her car after a long week in the BAU when her attention was pulled away by an engine trying to start. JJ glanced over a few spaces to see Hotch frowning as he got out of his car. She walked over to find out what was wrong and stood back amused as he pretended to check over the car for a few minutes before admitting he had no idea what he was looking at. Laughing, she offered to drive him home so he didn't have to wait for a cab.

The ride to Hotch's apartment was comfortable. Their conversation meander from work to the team to the boys to JJ's break-up with Will to the coming spring to the last movie without cartoon characters that they had seen. They had always gotten along well, but since her return to the BAU last year, they fell more into a a mentor-mentee relationship then the close colleagues they had been before.

What caused him to invite her into his place for tea, she wasn't sure. She suspected it was the prospect of facing an empty place as Jack was spending the night at Rossi's. At least, her empty apartment is what caused her to accept his offer. Henry was with Will for the weekend. She felt nervous about sitting across from her boss on a Friday night for about all of five minutes until Hotch choke on a sip of hot liquid causing JJ to burst into peals of laughter. They were just two friends enjoying each other's company after that.

After tea, they moved to the couch in the living room. Some channel was showing old slasher films from the '80s and JJ begged Hotch to watch them. He laughed at each jump she made every time the killer leapt out at another teenager. He waited until an eerily quiet moment in the middle of the second movie before poking her in the side. JJ jumped ten feet in the air with a yelp. She grabbed a pillow, attempting to smother him in retaliation while he continued to tickle her.

By the time he called "uncle," he was laying on the couch with her straddling his waist. One of her hands was pressed into his and her other was on his chest, feeling the strong beat of his heart. Hotch reached up and tucked a piece of hair behind her ear. She leaned down towards him as if drawn in by an invisible tractor beam. The second their lips touched, JJ felt her entire body come in life. She drank in kiss after kiss as if she had been lost in the desert and he was the only water for miles. For the next few hours, there was no thought, no consequences, only the feel of his body sliding against hers.

They awoke tangled in his bed the next morning. JJ avoided his gaze, afraid to see shame and regret in his eyes. She stopped him before he could say anything, assuring him that it was a one time occurrence and that they didn't need to talk about what had happened. JJ quickly gathered her clothes and belongings together before scurrying out of the apartment, leaving him no time to say anything. For the next several weeks, she worked hard to get their relationship back to the mentor-mentee one it had been before that night.

When she missed her once monthly period the next month, she didn't think much of it. In fact, she didn't notice it at all. They had been on back to back cases and she was dealing with a move into a new apartment and Will considering returning to New Orleans. After the second month, she began to worry, but forced it out of her mind. The hypocrisy of ignoring her own situation while forcing others to acknowledge theirs was not lost on her. It was a large part of their job, after all.

As she was approaching the third month without her period, she began to have rolling bouts of nauseousness in the morning and knew she could no longer ignore the fear growing in her head. She stopped at a drug store on her way home from work the night before. She got up in the morning, begging off an impromptu trip to the farmers' market with Garcia, and made Henry breakfast. She settled him down with his favorite children's show before slipping into the bathroom to take the test. Now, she sat, holding the tests, seconds away from finding out her fate.

The kitchen timer she had brought into the bathroom with her dinged. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath. Her limbs froze as she cast her eyes down to the pregnancy test. There it was, her future, in two lines in the tiny window. JJ gasped, the test falling to the floor. She reached the toilet seconds before heaving what little breakfast she had eaten down the pipes. Henry heard the commotion and came wandering in. Seeing his mother hunched over the toilet, he rubbed her back gently as she had so many times for him.

The next week at work was hell as the impending second bundle of joy had her distracted on every level. She misplaced several case files, drove to the wrong crime scene, nearly took Morgan's head off, and burst in tears every evening as soon as she was alone. She was determined not to tell anyone about the pregnancy until she confirmed it with her doctor. She had an appointment the Friday afternoon, which only affirmed what the test had already told her and her stomach reminded her daily.

JJ returned to the office with the intention of picking up a few case files to review that weekend. She avoided as many of the curious stares of her fellow teammates as she could while giving only short answers to questions she was asked. She had gathered her things and nearly made it to the door when Hotch called out her name, asking her to step into his office.

Her footsteps were heavy as if she were walking through mud. She dropped her bag by the chair, pulling her jacket in front of her stomach as if using it as a shield. She focused on a pen on his desk as he sat down in his chair. He began to lecture her lightly about her performance during the past week, but JJ barely heard him over her pounding heart. Hotch had to call her name three times before she realized he had finished speaking.

JJ raised her eyes to his, seeing only concern and affection in them, not the anger she had been expecting. She could feel bile rising in her throat as she tried desperately to come up with a reason for her actions. The tension began to weigh on her chest and her breathing became burdensome. She saw black edges closing in on her vision, causing her to blurt out her pregnancy news before the world caved in on her.

Hotch sat there, dumbstruck. JJ laid her face in her hands, willing herself not to cry. She had gotten through the week without crying in front of anyone and wasn't about to break that now. She jumped when she felt his hand on her knee. She hadn't heard him move beside her. JJ removed her hands from her face to see him kneeling beside her. Hotch used his thumb to wipe away her tears, leaving a tingling trail wherever his skin touched hers. He tucked her hair behind his ear as he had done that Friday night and cupped her cheek. Hotch leaned up and placed a soft kiss on her lips.

She didn't know exactly what the future held for them, but in his kiss she felt that everything would turn out perfect.


	7. Sack, Underground, Dish

_Disclaimer: I own nothing, but the DVDs. _

_Author's Note: I haven't done one of these in awhile and while I'm stuck on another story, I thought I'd try one._

_Special thanks to **deeda**, **canny-bairn**, **MegKate**, and **Flames101** for the previous reviews!_

**Sack, Underground, Dish**

"_Underground?"_

Hotch stepped back at the anger and frustration in JJ's voice. "Well, yeah, that's where most outdoor pipes tend to be."

"Now is not the time to find a sense of humor," she growled in response. JJ covered her face with her hands. "What am I going to do?"

"Relax, JJ. You have insurance to cover it. You'll just need to pay a deductible." Hotch cringed as soon as the words left his mouth. He had come over to help her out as he had with nearly all his free time the last few months.

JJ's chest heaved. "I know I'm insured on it. I also know that it's going to tear up my yard for who knows how long and that is not covered." She turned away from him and threw her fists against the wall. "I hate this house! I didn't even want to buy it! It was Will's stupid idea! He thought it would bring us closer together!"

"JJ," Hotch tried to interrupt.

"The only thing it brought together was him and our real estate agent! And now, I'm stuck with this stupid, rundown, useless house!"

Hotch grabbed her from behind and held her arms to stop her from hitting the wall any further. "Okay, that's enough. I want you to go upstairs and pack."

JJ stopped her struggles against him. "You what?"

"I want you to go upstairs and pack for the next few days. You and I are going on a road trip." She turned to face him when he released her. Hotch held up a single finger when she opened her mouth. "Jack is away with Jessica for the weekend and Henry is with your mother. The pipes aren't going to get fixed this weekend anyway. Now, go get packed. That's an order."

She nodded, her lips pursed. Suddenly, a weekend road trip with Hotch sounded like the perfect thing to do. They had been spending a lot of time together lately, but it was always with some sort of agenda. JJ jogged upstairs and packed as quickly as possible. She found Hotch waiting for her at the front door. "So, where are we going?"

Hotch led her outside, running his hand through is hair. "I... have no idea."

"Are you telling me that Aaron Hotchner doesn't have a plan?" JJ teased as she got into the car. She was already feeling lighter.

"It was a spur of the moment decision, JJ," he replied.

She smiled as the both buckled their seat belts. "I didn't think you knew how to be spontaneous."

The corners of his mouth turned upward. "Only for you."

JJ felt heat rush to her cheeks. She had no response to that and didn't respond. Instead, she turned her attention out the window. She watched as the scenery changed from houses to trees the further they drove from her house. Nearly two hours into the drive, the skies opened up and near torrential rain fell down on them. Hotch slowed the car to a crawl.

"I think I'm going to have to pull over," he said, apologetically.

"Look," JJ pointed out the window, "There's a sign for a bed and breakfast just up the road. We could stop there for the night."

Hotch agreed, quickly as the rain seemed to beat down even harder. He pulled into the small parking lot and grabbed their bags from the back. They raced inside, but still found themselves completely soaked by the time they reached the porch.

"I'm sorry about this," Hotch apologized.

JJ looked up from the edge of the bed. She was sitting in a complementary robe, drying her hair with a blue towel. "Sorry about what?"

He sat down in the blue flower armchair, looking dejected. "That my impulsiveness landed us out in the middle of nowhere, stuck in a room where it looks like a garden threw up with only one bed."

"A garden threw up?" she repeated, laughing. She smiled widely at his sheepish grin. "Hotch, I haven't felt this relaxed since-"

"Will left?" he offered.

JJ glanced away briefly. "Since we stayed up all night drinking tequila a few weeks after Emily's 'death'." JJ shook her head. "Now, if you're worried about the bed, don't be. It's not the first time I've shared a bed with another adult. If you're worried about the flowers, well, I can't really blame you because I think they're coming alive."

Hotch burst out laughing, a sound that startled and pleased her. "You always seem to know what to say to make feel better."

"Good. Now, I happen to have a deck of cards in my bag and Sophie promised to deliver some food. What do you say we play a few hands of poker while we wait?" JJ suggested.

"Sounds good." He settled himself against the headboard of the bed while JJ sat cross-legged opposite of him. He groaned a little while later as he lost his fourth hand in a row. "Where did you learn to play like that?"

JJ opened her mouth to reply, but closed it again when there was a knock on the door. "Saved by the knock."

She opened the door to find the owner of the bed and breakfast standing on the other side with a large dish in her hands. Sophie smiled warmly at her as she passed the dish to JJ. "Good evening! It's nothing fancy, but it should fix you up fine."

"Thanks, Sophie," JJ told her as she studied the selection of fruits, cheeses, and crackers. "It all looks wonderful."

"Enjoy! We'll see you at breakfast; eight o'clock sharp!"

JJ placed the plate on the bed before crawling back on the bed. "I'm not going to lie. That lady scares me a bit."

Hotch chuckled. He grabbed some grapes and a few slices of cheese. "She is a bit perky."

"Perky should be left for three-year-olds and boobs," JJ told him, her eyes dancing. She collapsed on the bed holding her side when Hotch choked on a grape. She looked at him through her fingers. "I am so sorry. Are you okay?"

"Hey, if it'll bring out that smile, I'll choke on anything you'd like." He paused when he realized what he said. "Wow, we're just batting a thousand tonight."

JJ sat back up. "You want to play another game of poker?"

Hotch shook his head. "I think I've been humiliated enough for one evening."

"What about truth or dare? Or would you rather just hit the sack?"

Hotch took a few moments to think it over. "Truth or dare."

"Really?" She was unable to hide the surprise in her voice.

"Sure. You can go first," he offered. "I'll take truth."

JJ rubbed her hands together. "Okay. Why did you break up with Beth?"

Hotch munched on some food while he thought over his answer. "I didn't like the person that I was around her. I wasn't relaxed. I always felt like I was putting on a show and it always felt the same with her. She's a great woman and I hope she finds someone someday." He stretched his legs out. "Truth or dare?"

"Truth."

"Why are you more upset about the house than the marriage?" Hotch asked.

JJ felt her cheeks tinge pink. "So, you caught onto that, huh?" She bit her bottom lip. "I regretted saying yes the next day. You shouldn't make life decisions all hyped up on adrenaline. Then, with the surprise wedding, I remembered all the reasons that I had been saying no for four years, but it just seemed too late by then to turn back. It was almost a relief when he cheated and I had a reason to back out of the marriage. The house, however, I'm stuck with for the time being and it's a piece of crap." She took a cleansing breath. "Truth or dare?"

He answered without hesitation, "Truth."

"Do you... ever think about that night?" JJ stared at his neck, unable to meet his gaze.

Hotch used his finger to raise her chin. He nodded, slowly. "That was the most amazing kiss I've ever experienced. I think about it all the time and what would have happened if that phone call from Garcia hadn't interrupted us. I've never wished that your phone was off as much as I did then." Hotch removed his hand and leaned back, whispering, "Truth or dare?"

"Truth," she breathed out.

"Do you regret it?" He froze, waiting for her answer.

JJ shook her head. "Only that it ended." She took a deep breath as the tension in the room rose to a feverish pitch. "Truth or dare, Hotch?"

Hotch's skin tingled as he replied, "Dare."

"Kiss me."

Rising to his knees, Hotch grabbed her shoulders. He ran one hand up her neck to cup her cheek. He licked his lips as he lowered his head towards her. Hotch placed the ghost of a kiss on her lips before pulling back. Seeing her eyes close, he once again brought his lips to hers, this time lingering until she opened to him. She tasted of strawberries, cheese, and something purely JJ that he couldn't get enough of. Somehow, with no memory of how it happened, he had her pressed against the bed, his body covering hers.

Pulling strength from his toes, he tore his lips away from hers to ask, "Truth or dare?"

JJ moaned in frustration. "Dare!"

"Turn off your phone."


End file.
